Give Thanks! Happy Turkey Day

Every year like clockwork, on the 4th Thursday of November, we get to fly around the country, see people we would never talk to otherwise, stuff our faces, fall asleep, and then go home again afterwards. It’s this odd little American ritual called “Thanksgiving”. That’s the glass half-empty outlook anyway. Since I’m usually a glass half-full sort of fellow, I prefer to look at it differently: we get one day out of the year when it’s actually culturally expected to consider what we have to be thankful for.

A preacher or theologian would say we should be giving thanks every day — but more often than not, it’s just easier to complain about what’s going wrong. And most of our American holidays focus on what we want to get from others (cough Christmas cough). Think about it. Valentine’s Day. Easter. July 4. Halloween. I want a kiss, or chocolate! I want to paint eggs and get a bunny! I want fireworks! I want pumpkins and candy! (And again, don’t get me started on our modern version of Christmas…)

But Thanksgiving — even the very name of it gives us reason to pause and think a little bit about how fortunate we are. That business deal that did go through. That friend that was there for you when the chips were down. The roof over your head. Food on the table. Maybe you said a prayer in a moment of desperation and then a miracle happened. Or maybe you saw the sun peak out from behind the clouds on your way to the office the other day and suddenly felt happy. We humans tend to make much of dire circumstances and easily forget all the good things that happen to us regularly.

Thanksgiving is a day to remember.

I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and a Happy Turkey Day for those of you who can’t wait for the meat and gravy. Fun travels, joyful reunions, safe returns, and we’ll see you bright and early next week here at North Bay Startup.